Douluo: AFK to Become a God

Four days later, in Slaughter City.

"I am the King of Slaughter, and I am pleased to once again witness the birth of two strong contenders in the killing arena. Slaughter City may soon welcome two new Slaughter Gods!"

Suddenly, a deep and sharp voice echoed across the sky above Slaughter City.

Hearing the King's voice, the surviving fallen ones inside the city opened their doors and looked toward the source of the sound.

"My subjects, come with me to the killing arena and witness this moment!"

In the sky, the King of Slaughter spread his arms like a cult leader preaching to his followers.

Indeed, in some ways, he was far more sinister than any cult leader.

Immediately, cheers erupted from below. Many fallen ones walked onto the streets, which had become eerily quiet because of the "Soul-Controlling Demon," heading toward the Hell Slaughter Arena.

First, because the demon was about to leave, they would be safe again, and Slaughter City would return to its "peaceful" chaos. This was something worth celebrating. Second, how many fallen didn't want to see the Hell Road, which, if conquered, would turn one into a Slaughter God?

Soon, the previously empty stands inside the Hell Slaughter Arena were filled with over a hundred fallen figures.

The King of Slaughter: "..."

Damn, only this few left in the inner city? How many kickbacks have I lost because of that demon? Damn it!

The King was mistaken. Even after Chu Chengzhou's havoc, there were still many survivors. But watching the arena required a price: a cup of Blood Mary, something not every fallen was willing to pay—especially the weaker ones.

Moreover, the Soul-Controlling Demon's name was terrifying. Most people hid from him; who would dare to watch?What if he decided not to leave and, for fun, pointed his finger at someone in the audience?

In fact, those who stayed away were the lucky ones; their caution saved their lives.

On the bloodstained arena floor, Hu Liena, clad in golden armor and radiating an overwhelming murderous aura, drove her razor-sharp Hair Gold short sword into her final opponent's chest.

With a splatter of blood, the last opponent fell dead, and a faint smile appeared on Hu Liena's pale face.

Finally, she had completed the hundred consecutive victories of the Hell Slaughter Arena!

"Congratulations, Hell Enchantress."

The low voice came from all directions. At the sound, the killing intent surging from her body was suddenly forced back into her, making her already pale complexion even paler.

The atmosphere inside the arena surged to its peak as a tall blood-red figure slowly descended from the sky.

Hu Liena's heart trembled as she looked up at the crimson figure in the air.

It was a tall man wrapped in a massive crimson cloak.A pale face, eyes glowing completely blood-red, and a body descending slowly as if gravity had no hold on him.

Her teacher Bibi Dong was right. The King of Slaughter was indeed a rare powerhouse in this world.

"King of Slaughter! King of Slaughter! King of Slaughter!!!"

The supreme ruler of Slaughter City had arrived, and the spectators roared his name hoarsely, their throats raw but their cheers unceasing.

Hovering five meters above the ground, the King of Slaughter stopped descending. From above, he gazed at Hu Liena, and his sharp, deep voice rang out again: "Bring forth the Soul-Controlling Demon!"

The opposite passage of the arena opened. Chu Chengzhou walked out, radiating the same killing intent, his face pale but still far better than Hu Liena's.

The King's gaze turned toward the stands.

"It has been many years since the Hell Slaughter Arena witnessed a hundred victories. Yet today, two young people have achieved it. With their power and their terrifying killing intent, they have made you tremble, haven't they, my subjects?"

"Yes—! Yes—! Yes—!"

The King seemed to radiate a strange charisma that drove the fallen in the stands into near-mad worship.

Land's Invincible Tang Chen… only a step away from the Supreme God King, thought Chu Chengzhou, glancing at the cult-like figure in the air.

Among the tragic figures of the original story, none was more tragic than Tang Chen.Bibi Dong, who died after becoming a god, and Qian Renxue, whose godhood shattered, suffered because of their own choices. But Tang Chen's downfall was different—caused not by arrogance or mistakes, but by an enemy too powerful to resist.

Without the Rakshasa God's machinations, he might have been one of the supreme gods of the Douluo Universe.

From a supreme god to a half-dead vampire parasite—it was a difference beyond heaven and earth.

The King of Slaughter, unaware of Chu Chengzhou's thoughts, looked down at him and Hu Liena. A hideous smile spread across his pale face. "Soul-Controlling Demon, Hell Enchantress, thank you for letting me feel passion once again.

A hundred victories in the Hell Slaughter Arena—excellent! To commend your achievements, I shall break the rules and grant you the title of Slaughter Gods. From this day forward, you may freely enter and leave Slaughter City, and you shall be honored guests second only to myself!"

Chu Chengzhou walked to Hu Liena's side, holding her hand and standing with her.

Feeling the warmth of his hand, Hu Liena said, "No, Great King of Slaughter. You cannot break the city's rules for us.

We are willing to face the trial of the Hell Road and earn your reward. We wish to rely on our own strength to leave here and become true Slaughter Gods!"

"What a pity~"

The King's eyes narrowed, and his smile faded as he spoke with mock regret.

He didn't mention the dangers of the Hell Road because he knew that with the Soul-Controlling Demon there, they would succeed.

The moment Chu Chengzhou appeared in Slaughter City and joined with Hu Liena, their future as two Slaughter Gods was sealed.

"In that case, go face the Hell Road. If we meet again, I hope you will not be enemies of Slaughter City."

The King's expression grew solemn.

Two more Slaughter Gods in the world didn't matter as long as they didn't threaten his throne.

Thick red mist suddenly surged from his body. The terrifying aura forced Chu Chengzhou and Hu Liena to step back.

Once again, Chu Chengzhou felt the gulf between himself and the continent's top powerhouses.

His combat power might match an eight-ring Soul Douluo, and he could kill ordinary ones, but only with his bow and Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrows—external tools, not his true strength.

To become a true powerhouse, he still had far to go.But he was young, and he believed it wouldn't take him ten years to surpass them.

The red energy released by the King wasn't just killing intent; it was an evil aura so cold it froze the bone marrow.

The crimson waves spread, reaching the entire arena within seconds.

The fallen spectators were ecstatic. They eagerly awaited the opening of the Hell Road, the light within endless darkness.

Only those who left Slaughter City as Slaughter Gods or the King himself had ever seen it open.

Everyone else who saw it died—either as the sacrifice to open it or as corpses along the road.

Soon, Chu Chengzhou and Hu Liena realized that although the red light brought immense pressure, it wasn't aimed at them but at the spectators on the surrounding stands.

As the red light spread, the fallen who had been cheering madly gradually fell silent. Their eyes became vacant, and then slowly turned bloodshot.

Not long after, when the red light formed a massive barrier in the air above the killing arena, painful screams erupted from the first fallen who came into contact with it.

Affected by the red light, these fallen seemed to lose their minds. They clawed at their own faces and bodies with madness.

Those who could survive in the inner city, and even afford the "ticket" to watch battles, were all strong to a degree.

In the outside world, each of them would be considered an elite—lords and leaders in their own right.Yet at this moment, they directed all their strength against themselves. Their screams contained not only agony but a twisted ecstasy, as if their extreme self-torment brought them a strange form of transcendence.

Their flesh tore, blood splattered, and some even ripped out their own organs. They continued their frenzied self-destruction until death finally silenced them.

The number of fallen undergoing this transformation grew rapidly, spreading like a virus until it engulfed the entire arena.

Even though Chu Chengzhou and Hu Liena had each killed thousands during their hundred consecutive victories, this large-scale horror still drained the color from their faces. The murderous intent in their bodies trembled on the verge of losing all control.

Blood rained down and gathered, flowing like countless streams through small, hidden channels on the stands, converging toward the center of the arena.

"To become sacrifices for opening the Hell Road is their honor!"

The King of Slaughter's deep voice echoed.

By now, the screams had faded. Except for Chu Chengzhou, Hu Liena, and the King, there seemed to be no other living being left.

The blood pooled into grooves that had appeared on the ground, flowing to form a massive crimson bat pattern.

Suddenly, the bat's eyes lit up, and a towering red light shot skyward, instantly sweeping the two into its embrace.

At that moment, Chu Chengzhou felt his senses blur. Only the King of Slaughter's deep and sharp voice rang in his ears: "I wish you luck on the Hell Road!"

Swallowed by the blood-red light, Chu Chengzhou and Hu Liena felt the ground vanish beneath them. Their surroundings became unreal, and all perception was sealed away.

The inability to control their own bodies, like being trapped in a vegetative state, filled their hearts with an indescribable fear.

What they couldn't see was that, at the moment they were engulfed by the red light, the killing intent around each of them condensed into a faint white ripple, shielding them and blocking the light's corrosion.

Without this killing intent, they might have been truly devoured the instant the bloodlight covered them.

After an unknown amount of time, a violent tremor shook their bodies, senses returned, and the red light faded.

When Chu Chengzhou regained full awareness, he found himself and Hu Liena lying on a round platform.

Rising, he looked around. Everything was bathed in a faint blood-red hue. The platform, five meters in diameter, hung above an abyss that stretched endlessly below.

From the edge, a narrow path, barely half a foot wide—just enough for two feet to stand side by side—extended into the unknown darkness. It was the only way forward.

With his sharp eyesight, enhanced by the elixir that gave him "fiery eyes," Chu Chengzhou could see the bottom of the abyss: a river of molten blood, churning like magma.

It was clear that without the ability to fly, falling meant certain death.

"Nana, wake up."

Chu Chengzhou lifted Hu Liena by the waist, patting her back gently.

She slowly stirred awake, but Chu could see the flickers of red in her eyes—her state was not good.

Immediately, his soul power surged, radiating white light. Above his head bloomed a white, ethereal flower of soul power, scattering petals of light that formed a transparent glow around them both.

Aside from illusions, the defensive art "Instant Bloom" created a soul flower that, once intact, rendered them impervious to all attacks and insulated them from any harmful influence. In Hu Liena's unstable condition, she couldn't withstand more corruption from the Hell Road's evil aura; without protection, her accumulated killing intent might spiral out of control.

"What is this?"

Seeing the white light and the ethereal soul flower above him, Hu Liena asked curiously.

"A family technique. If you want to learn it, I'll teach you when we get out."

Chu Chengzhou winked at her.

Hu Liena rolled her eyes, punching his chest lightly. "Put me down. Teacher said the Hell Road is dangerous."

"Just relax. Leave everything to me."

He kissed her forehead softly. "I've got this."

"Then be careful."

Knowing his strength, Hu Liena still reminded him softly.

"Mm."

With a reply, Chu Chengzhou tapped his foot. His movement art, "Earth-Shrinking Divine Light," activated, and he stepped onto the narrow path, carrying her forward swiftly.

"Nana, do you have any plans after leaving Slaughter City?"

As he advanced quickly, he asked the girl in his arms.

"Plans?"

She blinked, then blushed deeply as she seemed to understand his implication.

"Maybe you shouldn't return to Spirit Hall right away? I have a few techniques to teach you."

His words were thick-skinned. Those techniques were just an excuse—he was nearly sixteen, she was in her prime, and some experiences didn't need to remain only in illusions anymore.

"If… if that's what you want, I suppose…"

She lowered her head, voice barely audible. If not for the Hell Road's silence and his sharp ears, he might not have heard it.

"Heh."

He grinned, speeding up.

Soon, a faint rustle came from the darkness ahead.

"Something's coming. Be careful."

Hu Liena, sensing it first, warned him.

"It's fine, just some weaklings."

Chu didn't care. In his perception, a swarm of creatures approached—no doubt the bats from the original Hell Road.

Their numbers were many, but their strength was nothing. Even the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King, with its pseudo-immortality, didn't concern him.

The soul flower's protective light alone was beyond these bats' ability to breach.

Besides, with his speed, he would be past them long before they became a problem.

As soon as he said this, Hu Liena saw a dense blood-red cloud of bat-like figures ahead.

Before she could even study them, Chu Chengzhou charged forward without hesitation.

Their ugly faces and sharp fangs grew in her vision. Startled, she squeezed her eyes shut and clung tightly to his neck.

A series of rapid collisions rang out, then silence returned. Hu Liena cautiously opened her eyes, only to see a monstrous figure in her view.

Hanging upside down beneath the narrow path was a massive bat glowing faintly with dark-gold light in the reddish haze. Its body stretched over four meters, with claws more than a meter long embedded in the stone.

Worst of all, it had three heads.

Her eyelid twitched at the sight—but as if it were an illusion, the creature vanished when she blinked, just like the swarm of blood bats earlier.

Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King: Was that something that just whooshed past?

"Was that one of the Hell Road's trials?"

She asked, blinking.

"Probably."

He nodded casually.

Hu Liena: "…"

All techniques in the world—nothing beats pure speed.

As they continued forward, Chu could feel they were getting closer to the blood river far below.

The river was no ordinary river. Its heat was scorching, and the evil aura filling the air came from it—the river formed from countless Blood Marys.

Thankfully, Instant Bloom shielded them, blocking both the heat and the corruptive aura. Without it, in Hu Liena's condition, she might not have made it through even if no enemies appeared, as the closer they got to the river, the stronger the negative influence became.

T/N: For up to 30 chapters ahead on most of my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle